SAO: Darkness' Retribution
by Antex-The Legendary Zoroark
Summary: After three long years, Master Xehanort was defeated and vanquished. However, due to special circumstances, is given a second chance at life by Kingdom Hearts herself. Where will his path lead to? Darkness once more? Or redemption?
1. Prologue

**Greetings everyone! How're you? Good I hope? Anyways, this is my second attempt at an SAO fanfic. However, unlike the first, it'll be a Kingdom Hearts AND Sword Art Online Crossover! Whaddaya think? I thank the ones who have inspired me most to create this fanfic. Those being: Neokrieger and Jacob Pendra-Huth! Thank you very much! I also hope to see those authors take a look at this too! So without further ado, I present...**

**Disclaimer:** **_I own nothing except my OCs and this story._**

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**~SAO: Darkness' Retribution~**

**_-Prologue-_**

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_Darkness is a beginning you see, not an end._

-Master Xehanort

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It was a dark day for the worlds. The esteemed Master Xehanort, was nearly on the verge of succeeding in his plans to acquire the χ-Blade. In order to do this however, he had to divide his heart among 13 Vessels and thus create 13 Xehanorts.

This was the original purpose of Organization XIII. However, not all candidates chosen were fit for the task. Of them all, only Xigbar, Xemnas, and Saïx passed. It was then that the young Keyblade Wielder Sora took on the Mark of Mastery and that was when Xehanort made his move. With the aid of his younger self from the past, Xehanort lay out an elaborate trap to make Sora the 13th Dark Vessel. He had almost succeeded when Axel, now Lea, alongside King Mickey and Riku saved the day. But, Master Xehanort said that the gathering of the 13 was nigh.

Upon exiting the Mark of Mastery and waking Sora up, only Riku became a Keyblade Master. Undeterred by this, Sora left and went back to the Dream Realm to train for the upcoming threat against the worlds...

Many months later, Master Xehanort made his move, while slowly shrouding all the worlds in Darkness. The Seven Princesses of Heart were captured (excluding Kairi) and their Light extracted. After hearing of this, Master Yen Sid sent Mickey, Sora, Lea, Riku, and Kairi (albeit hesitantly) to find the three missing Keybladers known as Terra, Aqua, and Ventus.

Opening a portal to the Realm of Darkness, they found Aqua fighting in her last breath against the Heartless dubbed Hunter of the Dark. They defeated the Heartless and then explained to her everything that happened during her absence and headed to Castle Oblivion. There they found Ventus' body and his heart within Sora reacted; finally awakening him. However, in order to find Terra, they had to fight the Lingering Will in the Keyblade Graveyard to get it to join them. After a long, grueling battle, they succeeded. Using the Light inside their hearts, Aqua and Ventus were able to bring the Lingering Will's full power back. Henceforth, Terra was reunited with his friends!

Realizing that all the pieces were in place, Master Xehanort unleashed his 13 Seekers of Darkness against the 7 Guardians of Light. While the Seekers would keep the Guardians busy, Master Xehanort used the 7 Princesses' powers (kidnapping Kairi when no one expected it) over Light to strengthen the Seekers. Doing so, would allow the Seekers to gain a power boost. Not, only that, once they were defeated, the χ-Blade would finally be forged! Sora and Riku managed to sneak into The World That Never Was and free them all. However, Young Xehanort intercepted them and gave them a message: _"The fate of all shall be decided where it all began..."_

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Now, in the Keyblade Graveyard, the 7 Guardians of Light watched as the 13 Seekers of Darkness began to glow with a dark aura. Due to the clashes between the powers of Darkness and Light, Master Xehanort had finally succeeded.

The auras surrounded the entire area and from it, the χ-Blade surfaced. Master Xehanort gripped the First Keyblade in his hands and grinned madly in triumph.

He then began to laugh and said, "Behold! The χ-Blade has finally been forged! With this weapon, I will unlock Kingdom Hearts itself and recreate the world in my image! So Light gives way to Darkness!" He proclaimed as a beam of energy was unleashed into the sky and parted the clouds to reveal Kingdom Hearts!

"Now my Seekers of Darkness! Unleash your power and crush the feeble Lights that stand before you!" Master Xehanort commanded.

"You got it ya Old Coot!" Xigbar said with a fierce grin on his face. He aimed his Dual Arrowguns at the Guardians.

"As you wish Master." Saïx said passively while summoning his claymore.

"Open your heart Riku!" Ansem SoD shouted. The Guardian awaited his orders.

"Anger and hate are supreme." Xemnas preached summoning his Ethereal Blades.

"Begone!" Young Xehanort said as he summoned No Name.

"Bring it you idiots!" Vanitas said while summoning Void Gear. The rest of the Seekers summoned their own weapons and clashed with The Guardians of Light.

Sora and Ventus attacked Vanitas, Riku attacked Ansem SoD, Terra took on Xemnas, Aqua fought Xigbar, and Mickey and Lea fought Saïx and Young Xehanort.

Master Xehanort simply smirked and watched the chaos unfold beneath his feet. No one could comprehend his power now! With the χ-Blade at his side, victory was assured.

Both Ansem and Xemnas began to fade away into nothingness as their respective opponents cut them down. As for Saïx and Xigbar, both were fading as well.

Saïx gave Lea a small smile of gratitude, Isa's true personality thanking him for freeing him. Xigbar however, couldn't believe he was defeated! If he'd had a Keyblade! The Old Coot! Damn him! He probably wouldn't keep his deal after all!

In a rage, Xigbar used the last of his strength and fired a laser from his Arrowgun. The bullet flew at Xehanort, but was reflected off of a barrier.

Xigbar's final words were, "Damn you ya Old Coot..." He then faded away.

Mickey was still fighting Young Xehanort and was almost beheaded by a horizontal swipe of No Name. Mickey gathered a large amount of Light energy and fired it at Young. Young however, merely grinned and using his time abilities, stopped the blast and appeared behind Mickey! Mickey realized this too late and saw the blade coming toward him...

Only to be blocked by...Master Eraqus?! There he was, the old Master alive and well with his Master Keeper Keyblade in hand. Young Xehanort jumped back in surprise and took on a defensive stance.

"Greetings old friend. How're you?" Eraqus asked Mickey who gasped in recognition.

"Gosh! Glad to have ya back Master Eraqus. Could be better though!" Mickey replied back. "How'd you come back?"

Eraqus smiled and simply said, "Let's just say that it was thanks to a certain student of mine who's Heart kept me safely within him. And due to his revival, I was freed." He explained. "So sorry I was late by the way. I had to restore The Land of Departure and cleanse the remaining Darkness that was at large."

Mickey smiled at Eraqus and both rushed at Young. Their attacks were so quick and deadly, that they severed Young Xehanort into two!

"This...isn't...possible!" Young Xehanort shouted as he was defeated and sent back to his own time.

Sora and Riku both looked at their surroundings for Master Xehanort. Said Master then appeared behind them with a glowing ball of Darkness in his hands. Mickey attempted to slash at him, but Master Xehanort teleported to another area and was being raised up into the air by a cliff sprouting underneath his feet.

Meanwhile, Ventus and Vanitas were shaking things up. Vanitas fired a flurry of Dark Firagas at Ventus, but Ventus dodged them all. Ventus then used Time Splicer to cut up Vanitas. It was then that Vanitas summoned his Unversed, but before he could order them to attack, he was stabbed in the back by the χ-Blade!

Vanitas looked at Master Xehanort with shock. "Master Xehanort...why?"

Master Xehanort smiled and said, "It's simple really Vanitas. You were the last of the 13. With your death, the χ-Blade shall reach it's maximum power! You were only a means to an end. Just like Xigbar was."

Vanitas growled and said, "Blast you! Ventus...beat this bastard for me!" Those were his last words as he faded, but not before tossing his Void Gear's Keychain to Ventus. Ventus looked at it and back to his dark double. Vanitas merely smiled to Ventus and nodded. Ventus smiled back and Vanitas felt a tear fall down his cheek before finally becoming one with Darkness. _'You always were the better half...Ven...'_ He thought.

Xehanort smiled in sadistic glee that his beloved χ-Blade was so powerful. He then heard Ventus' enraged voice.

"XEHANORT!" Ventus shouted in pure dilated fury. Switching Wayward Wind with Void Gear, he attacked the old Keyblade Master. Master Xehanort simply smirked and blocked all the blows. He then raised a finger to Ventus' head and flicked him a mile away! Ventus crashed to the ground in pure pain and agony.

The other Guardians of Light rushed at Xehanort, but he laughed and sent out a wave of Darkness that scattered them apart. Raising the χ-Blade high, a beam of pure Darkness shot into Kingdom Hearts; unlocking it!

"At last our moment is here! Behold the glory that is Kingdom Hearts!" Master Xehanort said.

A staircase then descended downward to Master Xehanort's feet. With a smile, Master Xehanort slowly walked up the steps, savoring his moment of victory.

Not wanting Xehanort to succeed in his ambitions, Sora, Riku, Kairi, and Lea, headed up the staircase where the old Master awaited them. Before them was an amazing sight. Kingdom Hearts truly was the Heart of All Worlds. A huge garden full of life and Light shined and glimmered from the rays of the sunlight. A crystal palace was shown to be high up in the air. And finally, in the middle of it all was a lake showing every single world in existence!

Truly, it was a sight to behold in every possible way. Sora and co. looked around for Master Xehanort and could not spy hide nor hair of him. Before they could voice each of their own opinions, a voice rang out.

_"Please...protect the...Light...stop Xehanort!"_

"Who's there?!" Sora shouted in surprise.

_"I...am the essence of Kingdom Hearts. Please...listen to my plea... Xehanort is at the palace above you...stop him from covering all worlds in Darkness...protect the Light!"_

"We will. C'mon Sora! You too guys!" Riku said.

"Right!" Everyone else shouted. They reached a teleporter that took them to the castle. The doors then opened and revealed the old Master awaiting them on the palace's throne. Lying in front of him was a female being made of pure light and garbed in a silk dress. She had crystal armor, a crystal shield, and crystal sword. She lay kneeling on the floor, breathing deeply with the sword as the only thing giving her balance.

"You are really the great and all-powerful Kingdom Hearts? Pathetic. You're nothing before my powers of Darkness!" Master Xehanort said to the humanoid form of Kingdom Hearts.

_"I admit, that my power isn't as it once was, being in Darkness for so long. If, however, you were not using the χ-Blade, you'd be lying at my feet instead."_ Kingdom Hearts retorted.

"Silence you insect! I will not be denied my right!" Xehanort madly shouted at Kingdom Hearts while kicking her hard in the side. "But it seems I've other matters to attend to. Sora, Guardian of Light. Kairi, 7th Princess of Heart. Riku, Master of Darkness. And Lea, The Fiery Guardian. Have you come to bow before me and see my rise to unlimited power?"

"No!" Everyone shouted.

"Hmph. I see. Still as feckless as ever. Admirable, but foolish. I hold the power of the χ-Blade! What hope do you have? What is stronger than my χ-Blade?"

Kingdom Hearts managed to stand and say, _"Their hearts. Something you'd never understand Xehanort."_

Master Xehanort grinned. "So you say... Fine then, if you want to see true power, stop me with your pathetic excuses of Keyblades. I'll show you all what true power is!"

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**(Play _Forze dell'Oscurit_ on a separate tab)**

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Sora rushed up to Master Xehanort, intending to slash at him. Master Xehanort merely teleported out of the way and struck Sora aside. Riku and Kairi then nodded to each other and simultaneously launched a Thundaga and Dark Firaga at Master Xehanort respectively.

"Burn Baby!" Lea shouted as he covered Master Xehanort in a burning inferno of white hot flames. He then used a Strike Raid and threw his Keyblade: Flames of Virtue, into the tornado of fire.

Master Xehanort was hardly injured save for a few scrapes and bruises. "I'll show you!" He shouted. Using the χ-Blade's power, he created multiple lasers out of thin air and fired them at the group. All but Lea managed to dodge in time.

"Ok. I'll admit. That was hotter than even my flames!" Lea said grudgingly.

"Is that all ya got?" Riku taunted unleashing multiple attacks from his Keyblade at Master Xehanort. The Master grunted in pain.

"Lea!" Kairi shouted using Curaga. She then used Faith and blasted the spell at Xehanort.

"Slow!" Sora said and while Master Xehanort was slowed by Stopga, Sora then used a Zansetsuken at the old Master. He comboed him once, twice, sixteen times!

Master Xehanort broke out of the spell and shouted, "Behold the power of the χ-Blade!" He summoned Heartless created by the power of the χ-Blade to attack the heroes while he used Curaga to recover.

Not giving him the chance, Lea used Firaga with his own Keyblade combined with a huge explosion with his signature Chakrams; causing Master Xehanort to be burnt badly and the Heartless to be incinerated.

"This is the end!" Riku shouted. He used Strike Raid, and once Way To Dawn was back in his hand, used Dark Aura.

Kairi used Salvation damaging Xehanort even more, Lea used another Inferno attack, and Sora managed to get the last blow in by slicing his Keyblade Kingdom Key right through the χ-Blade!

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**(End _Forze dell'Oscurit_)**

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Everything was quiet. So quiet you could hear a pin drop. But instead of a pin, a blade dropped to the ground. That very blade was the blade of the χ-Blade! Master Xehanort looked on in shock and horror as the most powerful Keyblade ever seen was destroyed before his very eyes! How? How was it possible that the χ-Blade could be destroyed by a mere...fake?!

Before he could dwell on it further, the χ-Blade began to shake and let loose constant streams of powerful energy. The very atmosphere began to distort and twist as the magnificent powers of the χ-Blade could not be contained.

Sora and the group looked on as the χ-Blade shattered and imploded with Master Xehanort in it!

"Aaaahhhh!" He screamed in pain and sheer agony. Sora couldn't stand to see someone in pain, even if that person was an enemy. Sora reached out his hand to grasp Master Xehanort, but it was too late. The blast blew the heroes back and Xehanort was gone...forever. The χ-Blade continued to emit more power, showing it was going to unleash an even bigger explosion soon.

Kingdom Hearts (the personified version at least) limped to their side. _"Hurry. You must leave now Keyblade Wielders. Or you will not survive the rest of the blast."_

"But how?! We're practically stuck here!" Lea shouted.

_"Follow the Light in your hearts! GO!"_ Kingdom Hearts said. As she said so, a bright light emanated from each of the heroes' chests. They then found themselves back in the Keyblade Graveyard. They then looked up at the heart-shaped moon, once again, to be covered by Darkness...

Their friends surrounded them and praised them for their heroic deeds. Truly, the war had ended. And the reign of Xehanort had finally come to an end...

Eventually, two years later...things had changed greatly. Because of the threat of Xehanort gone, the Land of Departure was restored. Along with the other worlds lost to the Darkness. Terra and Ventus finally became Masters. Sora as well. Lea reunited with Isa, Mickey found Ansem The Wise, and Xigbar/Braig? He was put into prison for a LONG time. Maleficent continued to torment the worlds in Xehanort's absence, but was finally vanquished too with Pete put on parole.

It was then that when Sora proposed to Kairi, all was truly as it should be. And even though Kingdom Hearts was covered by the Darkness, she saw everything that transpired...and smiled.

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**The Realm of Kingdom Hearts**

_Three Years Later..._

Three years. It had been three LONG years ever since the threat of Xehanort was forgotten. The man who was once the most powerful of foes, was now no more. However, despite being the villain, Kingdom Hearts couldn't help but feel sorry for the Master of Darkness. True, he tried to blanket all the worlds in shadow, but Kingdom Hearts wasn't one to hold grudges. The Being of Light pondered to herself for a bit.

_'If a man as powerful as Xehanort could control the Darkness, could Darkness also be a force of good?'_ She thought. Not even she herself knew all about the capabilities of Darkness and Light. Only that both were different, yet the same. Like Yin and Yang.

Sighing, she held up an orb in the palm of her hand. This orb was made of Light yet also had many wisps of Darkness emanating from it. This was Master Xehanort's soul.

_'What I'm about to do may have severe consequences, but, I am eager to see what results I might find. Xehanort...though you were an enemy to all aligned to the Light, I wish for you to show me. Show me what's so special about Darkness. Why your interest? Why the obsession? And most importantly, can it be wielded for good purposes as well? I've already seen some proof that it can from that boy Riku. But, I want to see for myself how a TRUE master can wield it.'_ She thought to herself.

Rising from her throne, she walked up a stone staircase that appeared before her. Ascending to the top of the palace, she clasped her hands together as if in prayer. She then said, _"By the powers of Light, I send thy soul of Xehanort to a world where thee can be tested. Be reborn and forged anew, and show me thy courage and will!"_ Her hands glowed a radiance of colors and the orb/soul of Master Xehanort was sent into the far reaches of space.

Kingdom Hearts looked on in fascination. Perhaps...she made the right choice after all. Still though, one can never be too careful.

_"Good luck Xehanort. Perhaps with the new life I've granted you, you will find peace. May your Darkness bring forth the Light."_

As she said that, Xehanort's soul sped to a world known for it's dark shadows and hidden dangers. This was where he'd begin his true step to the Light...and redemption.

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**Unknown World**

_Hospital..._

"Congratulations ma'am! You've given birth to a baby boy!"

"What shall be the name of our son dear?"

"Let's name him... Orthane. Orthane Xavier."

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**_Kingdom Hearts: Reconnect_**

**_To Be Continued!_**

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**So? How was that for a prologue? Gotta say, it's a lot more better than my others, that's for sure. Please leave a comment, review, or whatever. Flames will be extinguished and deleted. If I have any errors, please point them out, although don't be too harsh. I'd also like to say, if you've any questions! PM me and I'll answer them to the best of my ability. Please be aware though that I may not give you complete answers as I don't want to spoil the story. Till nest time! Ciao.**


	2. A New Life

**Hello again everyone! Thanks so much for reading and reviewing last chapter! Very thoughtful and kind! Anyway, here's a new chapter fresh out of the oven for you guys! Enjoy the first chapter!**

**Disclaimer:_ I own nothing except this story and my OC(s)_**

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**Chapter 1: A New Life**

_October 10th, 2022_

It was a beautiful evening in the city of Tokyo, Japan. The stars shone brightly like a million lanterns in the night sky with a full moon to light the darkness. Many cars that passed by the houses nearby were either heading home or to their nighttime jobs.

At one of the houses, a young man was out watching the evening stars and glanced longingly at the moon. He held up a hand and closed it; as if the moon was right there in his grasp.

This boy went by the name of Orthane. Orthane Xavier. He was a boy of average height with lightly tanned skin, golden eyes, silver hair that reached down to his shoulders and spiked at the top. He was at the age of 17 and wore a white shirt, black boots, a vest, and arm bands.

When him and his parents first moved to Tokyo, Japan, many people thought him odd and quite strange. He usually preferred the dark to light and always seemed to have this unsettling gleam in his golden eyes. Needless to say, this didn't help him get many friends. At first, it was saddening to him, but overtime, Orthane learned to deal with it. After all, beggars can't be choosers as the old saying goes right?

Also, due to the high technology rate made in Japan, Orthane took quite an avid interest in the gaming world. Whenever he played, he felt...calm and serene. Plus, it's like he was in a totally new world. It was quite funny, he always had this theory of other worlds out there. Maybe, the gaming universe counted?

Orthane was snapped out of his thoughts as soon as he heard a voice call his name.

"Orthane! Supper's ready! Make sure to wash your hands and eat before it gets too cold!" Mrs. Xavier said.

"Of course mom. I'll be down in a sec." He replied.

Staring at the moon for a final time, he jumped off his perch on the roof and headed inside the house. It was a decent two-story building with a living room, dining room, four bedrooms, three bathrooms, and a spare room for Orthane's father to use as an office.

He headed to the main bathroom and washed his hands carefully; making sure not to let one germ escape the soap's wrath. He then wiped his hands off on the towel and headed to the kitchen. There, his mother and father waited for him.

His mother was a slender yet well-endowed beauty. She had cream colored skin. Her hair reached down to her mid-back and was a light shade of aqua blue. Her eyes were the kindest of browns. She was currently wearing an apron over her waist. Other parts of her clothing included jeans, sandals, oven mitts, and a dress shirt. Despite her age (41), she looked rather young. Her name was Bethany Xavier.

"About time you came down from the roof son." His father said while averting his gaze from the newspaper.

Orthane's father was a policeman and thus worked very late. He hardly had the time to be with his family, but thankfully, he was on vacation. He was a tall and muscular man with a black business suit, green dress shoes, and a tie. His hair was a dark brownish color, with peach colored skin, and piercing blue eyes. His name was Ethan Xavier. He was 43 years of age.

"Sorry dad. You know how much of a fascination I have towards the dark." Orthane replied.

In order to break the awkwardness about Orthane's "small" obsession with darkness, Orthane's mother, took out a rotisserie chicken freshly baked from the oven and cut each of her family members a slice of juicy chicken breast.

Everyone began to pray for a good dinner and politely began to dig in. After a few moments, Bethany broke the silence.

"So, how was school today sweetie?" She asked with a smile.

"It was fine mom. A little hard on some parts, but nothing I couldn't handle." Orthane answered. Although it was obvious something was bothering him.

Ethan caught on to this and asked gently, yet firmly, "Son. What happened this time?"

Realizing he was caught, Orthane gave a small sigh of frustration. "Well, let's just say I've been having some bullying issues."

"Really?" Ethan said, his attention was now focused solely on his son. "Please do explain."

"It all happened when I was at my free period..."

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**FLASHBACK**

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*Ding ding ding*! The school bell rang for next class period. Orthane got up from his seat and packed up his notes and other utilities in his backpack. Among the other things that he had, there was a 3DS, an iPhone 5, and a pair of his favorite Skull Candy headphones for listening to music. Checking his schedule, he realized that next period was free.

Deciding to take advantage of this, he headed toward the library. He took out his iPhone and headphones, plugged them in, and began to listen to music while reading some manga. About 30 minutes later, the book was rudely swatted out of his hands.

Giving a small frown of distaste, Orthane groaned and thought, _'C'mon. Not this again!'_

Orthane turned around from his seat and looked up at an intimidating, red headed young man. His name was Cardin and was one of the school's most biggest bullies.

"Whaddaya want Cardin?" Orthane asked with impatience and slight anger.

"Heh! What do ya think I want? I want you to hand over your notes for tomorrow's assignment and maybe take some of your lunch money!" Cardin said with an evil grin.

"Is it mainly because of my eyes dumbass?" Orthane asked rhetorically. Orthane's eyes had always gotten him into trouble due to their "unique" golden color. Not only that, he was officially dubbed "The Freak" by most students. Hence the reason why Orthane didn't have many friends and preferred to be alone.

"What'd ya say you punk?" Cardin said threateningly.

"Please leave me alone Cardin. Is that too much to ask for?" Orthane said with an exasperated sigh.

"Dare ya to say that again asshole!" Cardin taunted.

Close to reaching his limit of patience, Orthane slowly rose from his seat as his eyes began to shimmer and a seemingly invisible, yet dark aura surrounded him. "Let me repeat myself one last time." He growled. "Leave. Me. ALONE!" He shouted.

His shout echoed across the library hall and not only got everyone's attention, but also sent Cardin flying back until he hit the wall hard with a thud. This was another reason he was called "The Freak". Despite not having golden eyes, Orthane always seemed to have some sort of "berserk mode" deep under his calm exterior. When angered, he'd lash out and people would either feel a sense of dread or get into some sort of accident.

One of the students went over to check Cardin's pulse to see of he was okay. After confirming it with a thumbs-up, everyone slowly (and shakily) looked toward Orthane. Said boy was currently back to reading his book. From that moment, people most definitely avoided him.

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**FLASHBACK END**

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Orthane finished explaining what happened and in conclusion, the principle found out about the little...skirmish, causing Orthane to be suspended for a week. Needless to say, Ethan and Bethany were NOT pleased with their son.

"Son, we told you to work on that temper of yours and look where it's gotten you. Just what are we going to do with you?" Ethan asked in exasperation.

"Dear, your dad and I will need to think of a suitable punishment for this understand? Please, go to your room for now and cool off for awhile." Bethany requested of her son.

Orthane at first wanted to protest, but sighed in defeat saying, "Alright. Sorry mom and dad."

He then walked up the stairs and went in his room.

Opening the door to his room, Orthane entered and began to get lost in thought at the wonders of his room.

It was an average room, neither big nor small. It was aligned with many posters of different kinds of video games and anime made in Japan. There was little light and one window which allowed a small amount of light to peek through. A disheveled bed lie in the far right side of the room and a desk full of different writing utensils were scattered all over the desk. Finally, there was a computer with a keyboard and mouse.

Sighing to himself, Orthane sat on his chair near the computer and began to fiddle with his iPhone's music. He then chose a song called Evil Angel by Breaking Benjamin and looked on his computer to see if anything was on the video gaming news section.

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_Meanwhile..._

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As Orthane was busy doing his thing, Bethany and Ethan were both talking about their son and his latest...incident at school.

"I swear. Sometimes our boy is just so..." Ethan trailed off, thinking of what to say.

"Different dear?" Bethany finished for her husband.

"Yes. Exactly that. I just don't understand what we're going to do with him sometimes Beth. These...incidents keep getting more and more frequent and not to mention that he's become quite distant from both us and others." Ethan said with concern.

"He's still young though Ethan. We can't expect him to suddenly mature quickly. After all, our boy is still special." Bethany said trying to defend Orthane.

"I'm not saying he isn't, I'm just worried is all." Ethan said, trying to reassure his wife. "We've still yet to think of a suitable punishment for today's scuffle anyway."

Sighing, Bethany said, "Huhhh...guess you're right as usual dear. Perhaps we should send him to do some temporary jobs around the neighborhood? It'd keep him busy and away from those addicting games of his."

"Perhaps. But maybe there's a better solution to that. How about this? We ground him off of gaming for a few days and get him a small, part-time job at Bobby's Gaming Store? Me and Bobby have been friends for awhile after all. That way, he'll be working more and learning how to socialize with others; even if it's at a store full of games. And besides, we know that our boy loves his games a lot and will always find a loophole to our 'no gaming' punishments." Ethan suggested.

"That might actually work dear. Alright. Tomorrow, we'll let him know about our decision and sign him up at Bobby's." Bethany agreed. "Plus, you're right. We can't simply take away his passion for gaming away forever."

The two then silently finished the rest of their dinner and got ready for bed. Little did they know that their decision would eventually lead to Orthane's discovery of a new game coming soon...

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**_TO BE CONTINUED!_**

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**So how was that? Good chapter or so-so? I did my best with this chapter and I thought, instead of just skipping ahead to the SAO Arc, why not explain a little bit of his life and what it's like? After all, everyone likes to learn more about the character so they can get a good grasp on it and all. Am I right? Also, I'm thinking of pairing Orthane up with someone. And that someone in my head was going to be Suguha. I know that in the anime, she with Recon, but I just want to see how this pairing would go. I'll need your opinions on this! Do you want Suguha to eventually fall for Orthane and participate in the SAO launch? Or save it for when Orthane goes to ALO? That's still on debate though. Please leave a review! Flames will be deleted!**

**Ciao!**


	3. This World Is Just Too Small

**At long last! After so long, I've returned from- *dodges knives and pitchforks from the SAO Guild Laughing Coffin* Hey hey hey! Totally uncalled for PoH!**

**PoH: What? It's fun! Heh heh...**

**Me: Ooook. I'm definitely staying away from you.**

**Anywho, I apologize for my long hiatus. Due to school and...family issues, I've been very busy. I know it's no excuse, but geez, cut me some slack people!**

**Speaking of which, my poll I set up isn't getting any votes and I must say that I'm kinda upset at that. Only one person bothered to do so, so thank you Jeizu Ikari. Despite this minor setback, I've made up my mind and I am indeed going to add Suguha to the Aincrad arc. Any of you got a problem, you can leave. Besides, I always wanted to expand on her character a bit. Not to mention she was quite dramatic in the Alfheim arc. So, with everything now cleared up, I present to you, the next chapter of SAO: Darkness' Retribution!**

**P.S. If any of you know a good title for Orthane in SAO (like Kirito is the Black Swordsman), PM me.**

**Disclaimer:** **_I own nothing. Just this story and my OC(s)._**

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**Chapter 2:** _This World Is Just Too Small_

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_October 12th, 2022_

It was early midday in Tokyo, Japan. The sun's rays cast a beautiful sheen of light across all of the magnificent city's inhabitants much to the dismay of a certain young, silver haired, golden eyed, boy.

Orthane gave out a long and frustrating sigh. After his parents heard about his little mishap at school, he was prohibited from his gaming and forced to work at a gaming store! Seriously? It's like his parents were daring him to play a game behind their backs while working there. Oh...irony hurts so much.

Orthane then narrowed his eyes as the sun's bright rays continued to blind him. He had always hated the sun and it's light. True, it did help provide life and all that, but still, it's nothing more than a giant ball of fire. What'd happen if it decided to explode one day? He preferred the moon to the sun any day.

But enough about that. As of two nights ago, young Orthane came across an interesting Video Gaming Feed on the internet and much to his surprise, there was quite a bit of activity! Many people were talking about this sweet new game that they- the betas, tested out. It was a VRMMORPG that used a unique system called the NerveGear. Said device, allowed one to experience virtual reality in one's very own eyes.

Orthane was quite fascinated and wanted to know more. He then managed to find someone who seemingly knew quite a bit about the game. The beta who went by the codename: The Rat, gave him quite a bit of info. Although, she said he owed her big time when he got the game.

How she knew he was gonna get the game, he had no clue. All he did know, was that he was DEFINITELY going to get it. His thoughts then went back to yesterday's conversation with The Rat.

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_FLASHBACK_

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As the final chorus of Evil Angel finished, Orthane took out his headphones and opened his door slightly. He then listened to what his parents were discussing about. After a few minutes, he'd heard enough and silently closed the door.

He never knew he was causing his parents so much trouble. He didn't mean to do it, honest! He felt really guilty all of a sudden and decided to play a game on his computer to ease his stress.

After 2 hours, he wasn't even feeling tired. Knowing his parents were most likely asleep by now, he decided to do a couple more things before heading to bed himself. He firstly brushed his teeth, getting rid of the gunk in between his teeth. He then put on his nightly pjs and was about to turn off the computer and enter dreamland, when suddenly, he got a notice from a gaming feed he was currently following.

Curious, he walked over to his computer and checked it out. It was actually an e-mail from a person named Argo? But, his e-mail wasn't given to anyone! Hmm... Intriguing.

Deciding to answer the e-mail, he opened it up and it asked if he wanted to voice chat. If so, go to the address he was given. Orthane thought for a moment before deciding to do so. He replied back and said, "I accept." And pressed send.

A few moments later, a video camera appeared on his screen showing a young auburn haired girl with a mischievous glint in her brown eyes. Orthane could practically imagine whiskers on her face for a moment.

Realizing she was waiting for him to speak, he introduced himself. "Hi. I'm Orthane. You must be Argo 'The Rat' correct? One of the betas on this game dubbed Sword Art Online?" He asked.

There was silence for a moment and the girl- Argo, smiled a grin as wide as the Chesire Cat. "Yep! That's me! It's nice to meet you Or-bou! You're one of the first to talk to me with such interest in SAO." She said with a teasing wink. This caused Orthane to blush somewhat.

Regaining his composure, Orthane decided to get straight to the point and asked a little bit more about SAO. Argo then proceeded to explain about the basic mechanics and structure of the game to him. After he processed all of the information he wrote down on his notepad, he thanked her, but not before asking, "By the way, how'd you get my e-mail in the first place?"

Argo grinned again and said, "I'm an expert at hacking and gathering info. Plus, your security is about as tight as a GameBoy! Oh! And by the way, when you get SAO, be sure to friend me cause you now owe me big time!" She finished speaking and gave Orthane another flirtatious wink and waved goodbye, as Orthane thought to himself, _'Do I really have GameBoy level security?!'_

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FLASHBACK ENDS

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Sighing again for the umpteenth time that day, Orthane continued thinking, not noticing the Kendo Practice Sword hitting him in the forehead until he registered the pain.

"OWW! Son of a-! Who the hell did that?!" He said with anger he wasn't used to using while holding his bleeding nose.

"I'm sorry! I'm so, so sorry!" Someone said. Orthane directed his gaze to said person. The person was a young (and cute) girl with short black hair. She had dark grey eyes, which were almost blackish, with well developed muscles under her small physique.

The girl continued to apologize again and again, until Orthane put a hand up for her to cease her small rant.

"It's fine. Just watch where you're aiming that think ok?" He asked politely.

"Well," she said, "for the record, you shouldn't space out like that and watch where you're going!" She retorted.

Great. He just made a girl (who was most likely feisty) angry. Never a good combo.

"Look. I can be quite blunt sometimes and never pay attention to what I'm saying." He explained. "I'm sorry as well. So how's about this? Let's start over and introduce ourselves?" He suggested. "My name is Orthane Xavier. I'm from the Americas. Who're you?"

Calming down a bit, the young girl replied back, "My name is Suguha Kiragaya. I live here in Japan. Nice to meet you Orthane. Although I must say, it's a kinda weird name." She said.

"Ah I get that all the time." Orthane shrugged it off. "Anyway, you practice Kendo? You're pretty good." Orthane praised.

Suguha blushed and quietly said, "Thank you." She then looked at Orthane asking, "Do you know a bit about Kendo?"

At this unexpected question, Orthane thought for a moment. It was true that he was slightly experienced with swords, but not how to use them so efficiently. "Well," he responded after some consideration, "I'm no expert, but I do know some things about swords in particular." He confessed.

"Hmm..." Suguha studied Orthane for a bit (causing Orthane to gulp a little), then said, "Well, if you're interested, I could teach you some basics if you want?"

Orthane was surprised at this offer. It was rare of him to ever socialize due to his _'Freak'_ status and it was even more rare for people to try and get to know him better.

"Y-you don't m-mind?" He asked. "I'm not all that athletic and plus...my eyes are what people think make me a freak." He said the last part with sadness in his voice.

Suguha couldn't help but feel pity for this young boy. Despite just meeting him, it's like she's known him for awhile. She silently blushed at this. Thankfully, Orthane didn't see.

"Well, to be honest," she started. "Your eyes are actually pretty cool. I've never seen a more amazing color before. You said it's natural?"

Now, Orthane definitely did NOT expect this. This girl...how could she possibly not be afraid of him? He suddenly felt a small tingle in his chest. Could this be what friendship is like?

"Uh...thanks. And yes, they're natural." He answered her. "Y'know," he paused at this. Did he really want to do this? "I could take up your offer on Kendo practice after I finish work at my job (he inwardly cursed at that predicament) tomorrow. Would that be okay?" Oh my gosh! He couldn't believe he said that!

Suguha smiled again and said, "Great! Sounds like we're gonna have a fun time getting to know each other!"

At her enthusiasm, Orthane couldn't help but smile in return. This was what would be the beginning of a great friendship. Something he now finally had. And at the very moment in the domain of Kingdom Hearts, said deity smiled...

_'You're well on to redemption after all Xehanort...'_ She thought to herself.

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**Well now? Didja like it? Tell me in a review! Comment too if you're up to it. Once again, thanks for reading and I hope you continue to do so. Hopefully, I'll have the next chapter up soon!**


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